Vernon Wells Bio Info

Vernon Wells III...Attended Arlington (TX) Bowie High School where he was a first team All-American in baseball (1997) and All-
State in baseball (OF) and football (QB)...Signed a letter of intent to play baseball at University of Texas...Ranked as Blue Jays' top prospect by several publications in 2000 & 2001...A two-time MLB Futures Game
participant (1999-2000)...Played for Team USA in 2006 World Baseball Classic...His father, Vernon, was a wide receiver who played at TCU and attended training camp with the NFL's Kansas
City Chiefs and played in the Canadian Football League...Vernon Sr. is an accomplished artist and has done
several portaits of MLB players...Actively involved in the community participating in many events...His "Perfect 10" foundation aids many
charities through various fundraising initiatives...Honored with 2010 Branch Rickey Award for his community
involvement.2012Completed his 14th Major League season and second in an Angels uniform batting .230 (56-for-243) with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs...Raised average nearly 20 points from 2011 to 2012...Made one error in 74 games (589 innings) in outfield...Hit Angels organization's 7,000th home run on Sept. 11 off Oakland's Dan Straily...Hit .232 (39-for-168) with nine home runs off right-handers and .227 (17-for-75) and two homers of lefties...Batted .273 (15-for-55) with two doubles, two home runs and four RBIs in May before injuring right thumb and going onto the DL...Suffered injury May 20 at San Diego...Missed 55 games before being reinstated on July 27...Marked sixth career trip to the disabled list.2011Spent first season with Angels in 2011, his 10th full season in the Majors...Batted .218 (110/515) with 60 runs
scored, 15 doubles, four triples, 25 home runs and 66 RBI...Reached 25 home runs for the eighth time in career...
Finished with a career low OBP% of .248...218 batting average also established a career-low (previously .245 in
2007)...Came on strong over last month of season, hitting safely in 23 of 33 games with 17 extra-base hits (6 2B,
3 3B, 8 HR) and 20 RBI...Hit .284 vs. LHP & .187 vs. RHP...Angels were 35-14 when he hit cleanup...Homered on
first pitch his initial at-bat August 12 at Toronto, the first player to spend 10+ seasons with one team then hit a
HR in his first AB at his former home park since Frank Thomas did it with Oakland A's in his first game against the
Chicago White Sox in 2006...Belted sixth career grand slam July 22 at Baltimore...Logged 22nd career multi-HR
game June 13 at Seattle...Fourth career walk off RBI August 5 vs. Seattle in 1-0 win in 10th inning...Recalled from
rehab and activated June 6 (missed 26 games with a right groin strain)...5th D.L. stint of career.2010Played in 157 games hitting .273 (161/590) with 44 doubles, 31
home runs and 88 RBI...515 slugging pct. marked his best since
2006 campaign (.542)...Named to third All-Star team (also 2003
& 2006)...Became just fourth Blue Jay to record at least three
seasons of 30 or more home runs (Delgado, Carter and McGriff)...
Finished 4th in A.L. in extra-base hits (78), 7th in doubles and
7th in home runs...On Sept. 13 played in his 1,350th game as a
Blue Jay outfielder passing Lloyd Moseby for club record...Had
three multi-homer games (Apr. 5 at TEX, June 24 vs. STL and Sept.
7 vs. TEX) to give him 21 for his career...Participated in HR Derby
at Angel Stadium during All-Star Break...Hit .321 at home with 25
doubles, two triples, 20 home runs and 54 RBI in 77 games...Over
the last 30 games of 2010, hit .303 (33/109) with six doubles,
one triple, eight home runs and 21 RBI...Had a season high 14-
game hitting streak (May 21-June 6) hitting .321 (18/56) with
seven doubles and four home runs...Did not commit an error in
151 games in centerfield (359 total chances), the second time
in his career he has posted an errorless season (also 2005 in 363
total chances).2009Completed his 11th big league season and 8th full season all with the Blue Jays... Posted double digit
home runs for the 8th consecutive season... Had 630 at-bats were the 2nd highest total of his career... ALL-TIMER:
Passed Lloyd Moseby, Tony Fernandez and George Bell during the season and now ranks 2nd on the club list for total
bases with 2293... Aug. 15 at TB, surpassed Lloyd Moseby on the all-time Blue Jays hit list, now ranking 3rd with 1368
hits... Sept 18 at TB passed Tony Fernandez on the club list for doubles and runs scored and now ranks 2nd with 295
doubles and 3rd with 710 runs scored ... Sept 15 at NYY passed Ernie Whitt for 4th on the all-time Blue Jays games played
list now with 1236... Also ranks 4th in at-bats (4880), 4th in home runs (192), 2nd in extra base hits (514), 4th in RBI (725)
& his .470 slugging percentage ranks 7th among (min 2000 PA)... ROAD WARRIOR: Batted .300 on the road in 80 games,
2nd on the club to Marco Scutaro... NOT YOUR TYPICAL SPLITS: Batted .278 vs. right-handed pitchers with 12 home
runs and 57 RBI, however vs. left-handed pitchers batted only .206 with three home runs and nine RBI... The .206 mark
is now .100 points below his .306 career mark (post 2009)... FINISHING STRONG: Finished the month of September batting
.312 (34-109) with nine extra base hits and 12 RBI in 29 games... Batted .330 over his final 27 games, collecting 11
multi-hit games, including three, three-hit games... RUNNING MAN: Swiped 17 bases to match his career high in 2006...
It marked the 3rd time he has recorded 10 or more stolen bases in a season... FREE SWINGER: Ranked 4th in the AL, for
fewest pitches seen per at-bat at 3.43, however his percentage of swings on the first pitch dropped to 26.0 %, dropping
from his 35.6 % total coming into 2009... Batted .280 with five of his 15 home runs when swinging at the first pitch... IN THE
FIELD: Made only one error in 155 games in centrefield for a .997 fielding percentage... His .997 percentage was T-1st in
the majors with Tori Hunter, Carlos Gomez, Shane Victorino & Nate McLouth.2008In an injury plagued season, batted .300
with a Club high 20 home runs & 78 RBI in 108 games
played this season... Despite only appearing in 108 games,
hit 20 home runs in a season for the 6th time in his career...
The six seasons of at least 20+ home runs ties him with
George Bell for 3rd on the all-time Club list... Carlos
Delgado holds the record with nine & Joe Carter ranks 2nd
with seven... WHERE HE RANKS: Among the all-time offensive
Club list, ranks 8th in games (1078), 5th in at bats
(4250), 5th in runs (626), 5th in hits (1204), 3rd in doubles
(258), 5th in home runs (177), 3rd in extra base hits (459),
4th in RBI (659) & 5th in total bases (2041)... Among Blue
Jay outfielders on the all-time list ranks 3rd in games, 2nd in
runs, 3rd in hits, 3rd in home runs, T-2nd in RBI & ranks 1st in
extra base hits... Among American League centre fielders
dating back to 2002, leads in games played (991), hits
(1118), doubles (239), RBI (614) & 2nd in home runs
(167)... On June 18 at MIL, passed Lloyd Moseby for 3rd on
the all-time doubles list when he recorded his 243rd career
double in the 6th inning off Ben Sheets... On June 26 vs.
CIN, passed Tony Fernandez for 5th on the all-time Club
RBI list when he doubled in Rios in the 5th inning off Edison
Volquez... SOME GRAND TIMING: On Aug. 13 at DET hit a
grand slam off Kenny Rogers, 5th of his career (previous on
July 17, 2006 vs. TEX)... Ranks 3rd on the all-time Club
grand slams list (Delgado leads with 9)... On Aug. 17 at
BOS hit the 250th double of his career... On Aug. 23 vs.
BOS his 1st multi-HR game of season & 17th of his career...
On the last day of the season, hit two home runs in BAL for
his 18th career multi-HR game... Recorded five RBI in that
contest to match his career high (4th time, last May 31, 2005
vs. SEA)... MAKING HIS MARK: Homered in three straight
contests (four total) from Aug. 23-26 representing the first
time he had done so since 2003... On Sept. 25 vs. NYY hit a
2R HR off Carl Pavano, passing Lloyd Moseby for 4th on the
all-time RBI list with the two RBI... ON THE SHELF: Had two
stints on the disabled list this season... Was placed on the
15-day DL with a fractured left wrist on May 10, occurred on
a sliding catch the night before in CLE... Made a rehab assignment
with Dunedin (AA), appearing in two games
(4-for-8 with four RBI) before being activated on June 7...
Went back on the DL later in the season on July 10 (left hamstring
strain)... Made a rehab assignment with Syracuse
(AAA), appearing in two games (0-for-6) before being activated
on Aug. 10... Missed a total of 52 games due to injury...
FINISHING STRONG: Batted .318 (55-173) with 11
home runs & 36 RBI in 44 games to close out the season after
coming off the DL on Aug. 10... Over that time, ranked
T-3rd in the AL in home runs & T-7th in RBI... From Apr. 2-13
batted .370 (20-54) with three home runs & 14 RBI... Recorded
an RBI in six straight games (10 total) from Apr.
3-11... Had a season high 10-game hit streak from May
2-June 8 (on DL in between)... Over that span, batted .472
(17-36) with six extra base hits & eight RBI... Hit .302
(38-126) with five home runs with runners in scoring position...
Batted .325 (65-200) with 13 home runs & 40 RBI vs.
the AL East this season... IN THE FIELD: In 100 games
played in CF this season (99 starts), owned a .987 fielding
%... Committed just three errors in 225 total chances &
recorded five outfield assists.2007In 149 games this season, batted a career
low .245 with 16 home runs and 80 RBI...Had a streak of five
straight seasons with at least 20 home runs snapped...The
five consecutive seasons of 20 plus home runs is tied for the
3rd longest in Club history...On Apr. 20 at BAL, appeared
as a pinch-hitter for the 1st time since 2004...Was 2-for-5
with four RBI as a pinch hitter this season...Scored the
500th run of his career on May 11 vs. TB...Went 20 games
and 82 at bats without a home run from Apr. 24-May
20...Following that home run on May 20, went 23 games
and 88 at bats without his next home run, June 16 vs.
WAS...Snapped a season high 0-for-18 hitless streak with a
home run vs. the Rockies on June 22...ANOTHER
MILESTONE: In that same contest on June 22, recorded
his 1000th career hit on a single in the 7th inning off
Buchholz...Became the 8th Blue Jay to reach 1,000 hits
and did so in 890 career games (3rd fastest in Club history)...
Shannon Stewart was the quickest to 1,000 hits when
he did so in 819 games...Damaso Garcia was the 2nd fastest
at 867 games...It took Vernon 3,509 career at bats to record
hit 1,000 (4th fastest in Club history)...Shannon
Stewart recorded his 1,000th hit in his 3,302nd at bat...On
June 13 at SF, batted in the leadoff spot for the 1st time
since July 11, 2002 vs. BOS...LEADING OFF: In 37 games
as the leadoff hitter (35 starts), batted .228 (33-145) with
eight home runs, 22 RBI and 20 runs scored...The 8-HR out
of the leadoff spot ranked for the 6th most in the
AL...GOING YARD: From June 22-25 hit three home runs
over four contests...From July 2-6, hit four home runs over a
four game span...On June 25 at MIN, hit his 150th career
home run which moved him into sole possession of 5th
place on the all-time Club home run list, surpassing Lloyd
Moseby...Wells is just the 5th player in Club history to have
hit 150 home runs as a Jay...On July 2 at OAK, enjoyed his
16th multi-HR game of his career, 1st since July 23, 2006 vs.
NYY...On Aug. 14 vs. LAA, claimed sole possession of 5th
on the all-time Club hit list with a 5th inning single (1,052nd
career) , surpassing Joe Carter...On Sept. 5 at Fenway
Park, hit a game winning two-run home run off Hideki
Okajima in the 9th inning...ON THE SHELF: On Sept. 21,
was placed on the 60-day disabled list (left shoulder)...Underwent
arthroscopic surgery on Sept. 25 to assess a cyst
and repair the labrum in his left shoulder...Had the procedure
performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama...
IN THE FIELD: Among AL-CF, ranked 5th in
fielding percentage at .991...Made just three errors in 329
total chances...Had five outfield assists this season...
WHERE HE RANKS: Among the all-time Club offensive
leaders, Wells ranks 6th in at bats (3823), 7th in runs
(563), 5th in hits (1076), 5th in doubles (236), 5th in home
runs (157), 6th in RBI (581), 6th in extra base hits (416), 7th
in SLG (.478) and 6th in total bases (1829).

CAREER NOTES: Among the all-time Club offensive leaders,
ranks 6th in at bats (3823), 7th in runs (563), 5th in hits
(1076), 5th in doubles (236), 5th in home runs (157), 6th in
RBI (581), 6th in extra base hits (416), 7th in SLG (.478) and
6th in total bases (1829)...Hit 20 plus home runs in five consecutive
seasons from 2002-2006...Is one of three players
in Blue Jays history with five or more seasons with 20 or
more homers...In 2003 led the AL and set a franchise single season record with 215 hits...In 2002 became the youngest
Blue Jay to drive in 100 or more runs in a season at the age
of 23... In 2003 drove in 117 runs, becoming just the 3rd CF
in ML history to record 100 RBI in each of his first two full
seasons... The others are Joe DiMaggio (NYY) and Al
Simmons (PHA)... DiMaggio drove in 125 in 1936 and 167
in 1937... Simmons drove in 125 in 1924 and 129 in 1925...
Hit the franchise's 4000th home run off the Devil Ray's Joe
Kennedy on Sept. 21, 2002 at Tropicana Field in Tampa
Bay...Holds the franchise single season record for CF with
33 home runs...On June 22, 2007 vs. BOS became the 8th
Blue Jay to reach 1,000 hits and did so in 890 career games
(3rd fastest in Club history)...Shannon Stewart was the
quickest to 1,000 hits when he did so in 819
games...Damaso Garcia was the 2nd fastest at 867
games...It took Vernon 3,509 career at bats to record hit
1,000 (4th fastest in Club history).

2006Captured his 3rd consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove
Award (2004-2006)...Ranks alongside three other Blue
Jays outfielders who have won these awards - Jesse
Barfield (1986-1987), Devon White (1991-1995) and Shawn
Green (1999)... Only four other Blue Jays have won multiple
Gold Glove awards - Barfield, White, Roberto Alomar
(1991-1995) and Tony Fernandez (1986-1989)... Became
just the 4th player in franchise history to hit 20 or more home
runs in five or more seasons, joining Carlos Delgado (9), Joe
Carter (7), and George Bell (6)... Is T-3rd in Club history with
20 plus home runs in consecutive seasons (five,
2002-2006)...Led the team in at-bats (6110), hits (185), RBI
(106), stolen bases (17), and total bases (331)...Recorded
his 500th RBI of his career Sept. 24 vs. BOS...Hit his first
three home run game of career May 30 vs. BOS, the most
since C. Delgado hit a Club record four long balls on Sept.
25, 2003 vs. TB...The Blue Jays three consecutive wins
April 12-14 were all punctuated by home runs from Wells, it
marked the 3rd time in his career to have homered in three
or more consecutive games... Had a hit streak of 12 games
to begin the year, batting .420 (21-50) over that stretch...
The 12-game hit streak to begin the season (measured in
team games) is the longest by a Blue Jay in Club history,
surpassing the mark of 10 straight team games with a hit to
begin a season (John Mayberry in 1979)...Hit nine home
runs in April establishing a new monthly high (previous best
was eight in June '03 and July '03)... Batted .396 for the
month of April (2nd in AL)... Reached base safely in his and
the Club's first 29 games of the season... Reaching base in
29 straight team games, to begin a season, is the longest by
any Blue Jay in Club history... It also represented the longest
streak in the Majors this season, becoming the 13th
time a Jay has done so and 9th different player...On July 20
vs. NYY, hit his 3rd career walk-off home run in the 11th inning
off Yankee closer Mariano Rivera... Of the 32 home
runs Vernon Wells had hit this season, 11 of them have
come against the Boston Red Sox (8) & New York Yankees
(3)... The 11 home runs vs. those two Clubs are most by any
player since Carlos Delgado hit 11 in 2001... Hit eight HR
vs. BOS (three shy of the all-time record for homers vs. Red
Sox in a season, shared by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig &Mickey
Mantle)... Was named AL Player of the Week (July 17-23),
hitting .448 (13-29) with a .966 slugging %, three doubles,
four home runs, 10 RBI & 28 total bases... It marked the 2nd
time in his career to capture Player of the Week honours.2005Was named as a Rawlings Gold Glove Winner for the
2nd consecutive year... Was the first Blue Jay to win
back-to-back Gold Gloves since Roberto Alomar
(1991-1995) and Devon White (1991-1995)...Led the Blue
Jays with 28 home runs and 97 RBI...Became just the 6th
player in franchise history to hit 20 or more home runs in 5 or
more seasons, joining Carlos Delgado (9), Joe Carter (7),
George Bell (6), Jesse Barfield (4) and Fred McGriff (4)...
Furthermore, becomes the 3rd player in Club history to hit at
least 20 or more home runs in at least 5 consecutive seasons...
Collected a team-high 61 extra-base hits...Had a
team-high 52 multi-hit games on the season, including 12
three-hit games... Hit .245 with 16 home runs against
right-handed pitchers...Led all AL outfielders in fielding
percentage at 1.000... Did not commit an error in 363 total
chances, recording 351 putouts and 12 outfield assists.2004Was named as a Rawlings Gold Glove Winner for the
first time in his career...First Blue Jay to win the award since
Shawn Green in 1999...Was third consecutive season to hit
20 plus home runs, becoming just the 7th Blue Jay to do
so...Last two homer game came on Sept. 16 at SkyDome
vs. BAL, with 2nd home run reaching the 500 level (445 feet)...June 4 at OAK recorded 500th career hit, 2nd inning
double off Harden...June 16 though July 15 (ASB) was on
the disabled list with a strain in the right calf...Returned from
the DL on July 16 for the first game after the ASB in TEX and
went 3-3 (all singles)...July 28 at Rogers Centre vs. NYY hit
a 10th inning walk-off home run for a 3-2 win... Was 2nd career
walk-off homer and first career extra inning home
run...Led AL centerfielders with a .997 fielding mark...
Placed 2nd among all AL outfielders in fielding percentage.2003Set the Blue Jays single season record and led the
ML with 215 hits...Did not go hitless in three straight games
all season...Went hitless in two straight on just five occasions
during the season (Apr. 26-27, May 28-29, July
31-Aug. 1, Aug. 17-19 & Sept. 24-25)...Was 4th in the AL in
batting (.317)... June 23 was named AL Player of the Week
(shared with Koskie-MIN) after batting .476 (10-21), with 27
total bases, five home run and 10 RBI... Was selected to the
AL All-Star team for the first time in his career... Received
his first career Silver Slugger Award from Louisville Slugger...
Established the Blue Jays franchise record with his
214th hit on Sept. 27 vs. CLE in the 1st inning with an infield
single...Became just the 2nd Blue Jay and first to lead the
league in hits since Paul Molitor in 1993...Led the AL with 21
three-hit games... Hit in a career high 20 straight games
from June 6-28 (.384, 33-86)...Had 373 total bases, 2nd
most in franchise history in a single season
(Delgado-378)... Had 678 at bats, nine short of the club record
set by Tony Fernandez in 1986 (687)... For the second
straight season recorded 100 plus RBI (117)... Just the 3rd
CF in ML history to record 100 RBI in each of his first two full
seasons... The others are Joe DiMaggio (NYY) and Al
Simmons (PHA)... DiMaggio drove in 125 in 1936 and 167
in 1937... Simmons drove in 125 in 1924 and 129 in
1925...Had 84 RBI prior to the All-Star Break, 2nd most in
franchise history (Delgado, 97 in 2003)...Set career high
and a franchise record for CF with 33 home runs...Hit first
career grand slam on April 9 vs. BOS... Hit 2nd career slam
on May 3 vs. ANA... June 19-22 homered in four straight
games (five total).2002In first full season in the major leagues batted .275
with 23 home runs and became the youngest Blue Jay at the
age of 23 to drive in 100 runs...Played in a team high 159
games and led the team in total bases with 278...July 22 at
Baltimore recorded first career multi homer game with two
solo homers off Jason Johnson... Both homers on July 22 at
Baltimore were back-to-back....September 21 at Tampa
Bay hit the franchise's 4000th home run (off Joe Kennedy)
and drove in the winning run with a sac-fly in the 11th inning...
September 25 vs. Baltimore became youngest Blue
Jay to drive in 100 runs, solo home run off Lopez... Was tied
for second among AL center fielders with 11 assists and
had the third highest fielding percentage among AL center
fielders at .995.2001Was recalled to Toronto on May 11 as Jose Cruz Jr.
was placed on the disabled list... Started eight straight
games and hit .267 before being optioned to Syracuse on
May 21...Led the SkyChiefs in hits (116) and games (107)...
Was recalled from Syracuse on August 26.2000Spent the season with Syracuse and was a September
call-up with Toronto... Participated in the MLB Futures
game as part of the All-Star festivities... Was recalled to Toronto
on September 1...Rated by Baseball America as the
best prospect in the Blue Jays organization, the best defensive
outfielder in the International League and the 7th best
prospect in the league.1999Played in four levels of baseball, including the major
leagues, all in the same season...Was named the Florida
State League MVP and was selected as the MVP of the of
the FSL All-Star game... Rated by Baseball America as the
FSL's Most Exciting Player, Best Batting Prospect, and Best
Defensive Outfielder... Was transferred to the Knoxville
Smokies of the Southern League (AA) on June 23 where he hit .340 in 26 games with three home runs and 17 RBI... Participated
in the Futures Game at Fenway Park as part of the
All-Star Game festivities... Promoted to Syracuse of the International
League (AAA) on July 26 and hit .310 with four
home runs and 21 RBI... Combined, he led the Blue Jays
minor league organization hitting .334 in 129 games with 18
home runs and 81 RBI... Contract was purchased by Toronto
on August 30... Made his ML debut that day starting
in center field and was 0-3 with an outfield assist... Collected
his first hit in the majors on September 1, a double off
Minnesota's Eric Milton... On September 13 hit his first ML
home run off the Yankees' Orlando Hernandez (1R)... Was
selected to the Howe Sportsdata 1999 All-Prospect team...
Named by Baseball America as the best prospect in the organization...
Participated in the Arizona Fall League with
Peoria.1998Finished fourth in the league with 35 doubles...In the
playoffs hit .476 (10-21) in five games with three doubles,
four runs and two RBI... Rated fifth best prospect in the organization
by Baseball America and ninth best in the South
Atlantic League.1997Made pro debut with St. Catharines and tied for third
in New York-Penn League (A) with 10 home runs and 31 extra-
base hits, was tied for fourth with 20 doubles and fifth
with 52 runs and a .504 slugging pct... Named second-best
prospect in New York-Penn League by Baseball America...
Named to league All-Star team... Named league
Player-of-the-Week from July 21-27, hit .536 (15-28) with 7
runs, two homers and five RBI... Named second-best prospect
in organization by Baseball America... Played Winter
ball for Sydney in Australia, hit .280 with five home runs and
22 RBI.